Using expressions in midPoint Query Language

Last modified 13 Oct 2023 15:20 +02:00
Since 4.5
This functionality is available since version 4.5.
Table of Contents

MidPoint Query Language provides special syntax support for most common expression types.

Expressions are not executed / supported for user entered queries in search box in midPoint GUI, since that would allow users to execute code and may pose additional security risks.

Script expressions are supported for following filters:

  • Value comparison filters

    • =, <, >, <=, >=

    • equal, less, greater, lessOrEqual, greaterOrEqual

  • String filters

    • contains, startsWith, endsWith

Path Expression

The syntax for path expression is pretty straight-forward, since most path expression references variable.

Variables start with dollar $ symbol. Note that variables are only supported as right-hand side value.

Path Expression in Equals filter
name = $c:account/c:attributes/ri:uid
XML equivalent
<q:equal>
    <q:path>name</q:path>
    <c:expression>
       <c:path>$c:account/c:attributes/ri:uid</c:path>
    </c:expression>
</q:equal>

Script

There are two syntax options for script expression: single-line scripts and multi-line scripts. By default, scripts are Groovy scripts unless other scripting language is specified.

Single-line Groovy expression
metadata/createTimestamp > `basic.fromNow("-P30D")`

Single-line expressions are written as strings surrounded with single ` (backtick) character. This allows you to use quotes inside script without need to escape them.

Multi-line Groovy expression
metadata/createTimestamp > ```
    now = basic.currentDateTime();
    ret = basic.addDuration(now, "-P30D");
    return ret
    ```

The syntax for multi-line expressions is a bit more elaborated, multi-line script starts with triple backticks (```), followed by new-line. Script body is closed by triple backticks (```). This minimizes need for escaping most of the quotes or sequences inside the script body.

Script expressions are not allowed in search box in GUI.

Other Scripting languages

You can use other supported scripting language for expressions, by prefixing quotes with language name e.g.:

metadata/createTimestamp > groovy`basic.fromNow("-P30D")`

The language name is same as you would use in XML filter script expressions.

Other expression types

If you plan to use expression type, which does not have simplified syntax, you can use yaml expression (yaml language is only available in midPoint queries).

yaml expression allows you to pass-thru standard expression element serialized in YAML format.

This is useful, if you need to define additional properties of expression, or use other expression types, which does not have built-in syntax support.

metadata/createTimestamp > yaml```
    script:
        language: groovy
        code: |
            now = basic.currentDateTime();
            ret = basic.addDuration(now, "-P30D");
            return ret
    ```
XML Equivalent
<filter>
  <gt>
    <path>metadata/createTimestamp</path>
    <expression>
      <script>
        <language>groovy</language>
        <code>
          ret = basic.addDuration(now, "-P30D");
          now = basic.currentDateTime();
          return ret
        </code>
      </script>
    </expression>
  </gt>
</filter>

In midPoint 4.5 and 4.6 you have to indent the content of the YAML expression with at least one space, otherwise it will not parse with quite an obscure error.

See Also

Was this page helpful?
YES NO
Thanks for your feedback